10 Best Girls Bikes: Quality Bikes for Your Little Miss

Many girls bikes put too much emphasis on flashy decorations, while skimping on quality and performance – just walk through the bike aisle of any big-box store for proof. The best girls bikes prioritize a great riding experience over those flashy decorations.

After testing over 100 kids bikes with a wide range of testers, we’ve found great options for little girls bikes, older girls, and all types of riders – from neighborhood cruisers to school commuters. For a bike that will instill a passion for pedaling in your little girl, stick to the recos on this page, and stay out of Walmart.

In this article, we’ve selected a few of our favorite bikes for each wheel size. For a more in-depth list of all our top choices, be sure to check out our lists of favorite kids bikes by size.

The Best Girls Bikes Preview

Criteria for our Girls Bike List

Great kids bikes are a combination of many different factors. While our kids bike buying guide breaks down what features we look for overall, for girls bikes we put a little more emphasis on some additional features.

COLOR AND DESIGN: While a girl can certainly ride any bike with any design or color, we understand that some kids want a bike with more traditional girl styling. Fun graphics and patterns are a plus in our book, especially on bikes for younger girls. Although we only provided the traditional girl colors in the descriptions below, many of these bikes also come in black, blue, or green.

LIGHTWEIGHT: On average, girls weigh less than boys, so finding a bike that is less than 40% of a child’s weight is even more of a challenge. Building a lightweight, quality bike is very expensive. As a result, in order to provide options at various price ranges, some bikes we selected are slightly heavier than we would like, but we believe they are the best option in their price range.

GEOMETRY: How upright or leaned in a child sits on a bike can greatly affect the comfort level and maneuverability of a bike. Traditional “girl bikes” position the rider in a more upright position, which is preferred by casual or more timid riders.

Aggressive riders prefer to be more leaned-in to help them really lean into and out of turns. As a result, for the larger 20″ and 24″ sizes, we provide options for timid riders who prefer to sit upright as well as aggressive riders who prefer to lean in.

FRAME DESIGN: Traditional girls bikes typically have step-through frames to allow for easier ons and offs. While step-through frames ARE easier to get on and off, they do not improve the overall performance of a bike. As a result, we did not give preference to bikes with step-through frames. Interestingly, all of the bikes on this list have gender-neutral diamond frames. The only difference is color!

GIRLS BIKES: 12 and 14 INCH

There is something unbelievably thrilling about watching your little one ride away on her first bike! 12″ and 14″ bikes are best for ages 2 to 4, for use with or without training wheels. If you are considering a little girls bike with training wheels, we highly recommend getting your daughter started out on a balance bike instead, like the Strider 14x listed below. They are an easier and much more natural way for a child to learn to ride a bike.

Want more options in all price-ranges? Check out our Best 12 and 14 Inch Bikes Article.

Guardian Bikes 14

Best Safety Innovation

• MSRP: $249
• SEAT HEIGHT: 16″ – 21″
• WEIGHT: 16 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Optional upgrade
• COLORS: Pink, purple, teal
• FULL REVIEW: Guardian 14″ Bike

At just $249, Guardian’s 14″ bike is an impressive bang for your buck. With great-quality components, very kid-friendly geometry, and adorable designs, Guardian always shocks us with what they can offer for such a reasonable price tag.

This smallest Guardian pedal bike benefits in a huge way from the proprietary SureStop braking system. A single lever on the right hand sequentially engages both the rear and front wheel brake pads. You get the power of dual handbrakes by pulling just one lever!

While we love SureStop on any size bike (like Mark Cuban did on Shark Tank!), its simplicity is particularly helpful to the littlest riders who are just learning to pedal. Less to worry about, less to think about, your little rider can gain confidence more quickly.

Strider 14x

Best Balance Bike/Pedal Bike in One

• MSRP: $209
• SEAT HEIGHT: 15″ to 20″
• WEIGHT: 12.5 lb.
• COLORS: Pink, green, blue
• FULL REVIEW: Strider 14x Convertible Balance Bike

You may have noticed that none of the girls bikes on our list have training wheels. That’s because if you’re looking for a 12” bike with training wheels, you really should be shopping for a balance bike instead!

The Strider 14x is a larger balance bike that’s a great fit for most 3 to 4 year olds. After your little one has mastered balancing, the transition to a pedal bike is incredibly smooth. As a bonus, the Strider 14x can convert to a small pedal bike to be used until your daughter is tall enough for a 16” pedal bike. It’s the ultimate toddler girl bike!

woom 2

Best Overall

• MSRP: $399
• SEAT HEIGHT: 16″ – 19″
• WEIGHT: 12.3 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Not compatible
• COLORS: Purple, red, light blue, orange, and lime green
• FULL REVIEW: woom 2

Woom bikes are more expensive for a reason. They are truly exceptional in design and components, and are also the most lightweight bikes on the market! A lightweight bike makes it significantly easier for little ones to learn to ride a pedal bike. We’ve watched many kids struggle to learn to ride on other bikes, who then hop on a woom 2 and just take off!

GIRLS BIKES: 16 INCH

Kids ages 4 to 6 are typically the best fit for a 16″ bike. Whether your child is graduating from a balance bike or moving up from their first pedal bike, their 16″ bike needs to lightweight, easy to balance, and fun to ride! These bikes fit all three criteria and receive a seal of approval from our little miss testers.

See our Best 16 Inch Bikes article to view more of our favorite 16″ bikes.

Guardian 16

SureStop Braking Innovation

• MSRP: $249
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.25″ – 22.6″
• WEIGHT: 17.5 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Optional at purchase
• COLORS: Pink, aqua, blue
• FULL REVIEW: Guardian 16

The Guardian 16 is an exceptional bang for your buck. At this price point, you’re almost always stuck with a coaster brake (back pedal brake) on a 16″ bike. Not only does the Guardian 16 not have a coaster brake, but if features Guardian’s proprietary SureStop hand brake.

SureStop simplifies braking, which is particularly helpful for young riders. By pulling just one brake lever with the right hand, the v-brakes on the rear and then front wheels are activated for powerful, on-a-dime stopping. Knowing you can slow down or immediately stop with ease does wonders for a developing rider’s confidence.

Retrospec Koda 2 16″

Best on a Super Budget

• MSRP: $119, $149 for Plus model
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.3″ to 23″
• WEIGHT: 19.1 lb.
• COLORS: Light pink, dark pink, blue/coral combo
• FULL REVIEW: Retrospec Koda 2 Kids Bike Review

For families who just don’t want to spend more than $150 on a 16″ bike, the Retrospec Koda 2 is hands down the best option on the market. Most bikes this cheap are poorly designed and difficult to ride, but Retrospec did an impressive job for the price point. Significantly better than brands like Huffy, Kent, and even Schwinn, our kid testers loved riding this Retrospec Koda.

Keep in mind that at this price point, you’re going to have a coaster brake (back pedal brake), which is one of the main reasons we encourage parents to spend a bit more for a bike like the Guardian which has hand brakes instead. Coaster brakes make learning to ride harder, but certainly not impossible if your budget won’t allow it.

Priority Start 16

Belt Drive – Super Low Maintenance and Grease-Free

• MSRP: $329
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.5″ – 23″
• WEIGHT: 15.9 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Compatible, but not included
• COLORS: White, Turquoise, Sky Blue, Charcoal
• FULL REVIEW: Priority Start 16

With a lightweight frame, dual hand brakes, and no coaster brake, the Priority Start 16 is a wicked first girls bike for a very decent price.

Where Priority Bikes really shine is their belt drive, which replaces a traditional bike chain. This belt drive is grease-free, mess-free, rarely (if ever!) falls off, and is essentially maintenance-free.

woom 3

Best Overall

• MSRP: $449
• SEAT HEIGHT: 19.1″ – 24.8″
• WEIGHT: 13.1 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Not compatible
• COLORS: Purple, yellow, red, light blue, orange, and lime green
• FULL REVIEW: WOOM 3

The 16 inch woom 3 is a slightly larger version of the 14 inch woom 2. Both of these bikes are the ideal bikes for beginners and timid riders, depending on the child’s size.

With a frame geometry that keeps a child in a natural, upright position, and their weight centered over their hips like when walking, riding the woom 3 is as natural and effortless as it gets.

Btwin HYC 500

Honorable Mention Bang for Your Buck

• MSRP: $125
• SEAT HEIGHT: 19.5″ – 23.75″
• WEIGHT: 20.6 lb.
• TRAINING WHEELS: Sold separately
• COLORS: Pink
• FULL REVIEW: Bwin 16 Inch Kids Bike

We love the Btwin 16 – not only because it’s a super adorable and pink-dreamy girls bicycle, but also because it’s really well-designed for the price. Frankly, most girls bikes in this price range are terrible. The Btwin may be heavier and more basic than other bikes we recommend, but it’s far easier to ride than anything you’ll find at a big-box store.

GIRLS BIKES: 20 INCH

Kids ages 6 to 7 are typically a good fit for 20 inch girls bikes. If you’re looking for an 18 inch girls bike, you most likely need to look in this 20 inch size range instead. 18 inch girls bikes are generally cheap and low-quality. 20 inch girls bikes are similar in size, but made by much better bike companies.

Moving up to a 20″ bike is a big step for all child riders. While weight and performance are still concerns, gears are now on the table. To gear or not to gear, that is the question on most parents’ minds! For the average child rider, gears are fun to have, but not necessary.

As a result, we placed a few of our favorite single-speed 20″ bikes on the list. These bikes are fun to ride and MUCH easier to maintain that a geared bike. For those who want or need gears, we’ve included the Priority Start, which is a great introduction to gears.

For more options, check out our Best 20 Inch Bikes article.

Retrospec Koda 2

Best Super Budget

• MSRP: $179
• SEAT HEIGHT: 21.5″ – 27.5″
• WEIGHT:  23.7 lb.
• COLORS: Aqua and coral
• GEARS: Single-speed
• FULL REVIEW:  Retrospec Koda Plus 2

The team at Retrospec is hyper focused on offering better quality kids bikes for super low prices. The Retrospec Koda 2 Plus is cheaper than a Schwinn bike, but several pounds lighter and sized more appropriately for a 6 or 7 year old.

But what impresses us most about this bike is that it has good-quality dual handbrakes and NO coaster brake. For under $200, that’s basically unheard of!

Guardian 20 Small

Best Single Speed

• MSRP: $289
• SEAT HEIGHT: 21.3″ – 26.8″
• WEIGHT: 20.7 lb.
• COLORS: Aqua and pink, black and red
• GEARS: Single-speed
• FULL REVIEW:  Guardian 20 Inch Review

Guardian’s SureStop braking system is a truly exceptional safety innovation. SureStop helps kids stop easier and faster, by packing the stopping power of rear and front brakes into a single brake lever! Not only is the Guardian 20 easy to brake, it’s a ton of fun. 

While some 20″ bikes have gears, the Guardian 20 small keeps things simple as a single speed bike. For most kids this age, gears are an unnecessary complexity that just makes a bike harder to maintain. 

REI Co-op Cycles REV 20

REI Guarantee and Service

• MSRP: $299
• SEAT HEIGHT: 21.9″ – 27″
• WEIGHT: 22 lb.
• COLORS: Purple
• GEARS: Single-speed
• FULL REVIEW:  REI Co-op Cycles REV 20

REI Co-Op brand products have a strong reputation for offering solid quality at a more attainable price point. The REI REV 20 kids bike is durable, made with quality components, and comes with the peace of mind of the REI guarantee.

For a year after purchase, REI’s in-house bike shops will take care of any basic maintenance for free (but parts not included). And if you’re an REI member, they’ll fix your flats for free too… forever!

If you have a local REI, you can order online and choose to have it shipped to the store, where they will assemble it for you before you pick it up. While we don’t love the coaster brake, the REV 20 also has a single Tektro rear hand brake that is easy to pull and offers great stopping power.

NOTE: We do NOT recommend using this bike with training wheels. Customers have reported the bolts stripping and the training wheels coming off.

Priority Start 20

Best Simplified Gearing

• MSRP: $379
• SEAT HEIGHT: 22″ – 28.5″
• WEIGHT: 19.5 lb.
• COLORS: Purple, Turquoise Blue, Charcoal
• GEARS: 3-speed with an internally-geared hub (no derailleur!)
• FULL REVIEW: Priority Start 20

If you think your little girl would benefit from having a geared bike, but you’re not sure she’s ready to tackle that challenge, the Priority Start 20 is for you!

With just three gears, the Priority Start is a perfectly simple introduction to the world of shifting. As an added bonus, Priority Bikes have internally geared hubs. These hubs are enclosed and much less likely to be damaged than the chain derailleurs found on most geared bikes.

GIRLS BIKES: 24 INCH

From riding around the neighborhood to longer family bike rides, a child’s 24″ bike can take them just about anywhere! These geared bikes are all suitable for miles of adventures and are also stylized to look a little “older” for kids ages 7 to 10.

For more options check out our Best 24 Inch Bikes for Kids article.

Retrospec Dart 24

Best on a Budget

• MSRP: $219
• SEAT HEIGHT: 25.5″ – 29.8″
• WEIGHT:  28.5 lb.
• COLORS: Pink and teal
• GEARS: 7-speed with grip shifter
• FULL REVIEW: Retrospec Dart

Cheap 24″ girls bikes are uniquely problematic. They usually are either a single-speed cruiser (which limits going fast or climbing hills), or have two derailleurs and two shifters (which makes the bike heavier, maintaining it much more difficult, and shifting more confusing).

The Retrospec Dart 24 has 7 speeds and just one derailleur; it’s an uncommon find at this price point, but a great combination for a kid rider.

Guardian 24

Innovative Braking System

• MSRP: $339
• SEAT HEIGHT: 25″ – 33″
• WEIGHT:  25.5 lbs.
• COLORS: Purple, Turquoise Blue, Black and Pink
• GEARS: 7-speed with grip shifter
• READ MORE: Guardian Bikes 24 Review

One brake lever and maximum stopping power? Guardian’s SureStop braking system makes braking safer, easier, and a ton of fun! Our girl bike testers love riding their Guardians to the limit and then braking full blast. Who knew a safety feature could actually make a bike more fun to ride?

As seen in the image above, the Guardian 24 has a wide range of great fit – the rider on the left is 49″ tall, and the rider on the right is 57″.

Priority Start 24

Best Simplified Gearing

• MSRP: $449
• SEAT HEIGHT: 27″ – 34.5″
• WEIGHT:  23.3 lb.
• COLORS: Coral, light blue, charcoal
• GEARS: 3-speed with internally geared hub
• READ MORE: Priority Start 24 Review

Kids are hard on their bikes and regular maintenance is a must! If you’re looking for a high-end bike that requires less maintenance, Priority is for you.

The chains and derailleurs on standard bikes require regular cleaning and can be damaged easily. The grease-free belt drive of a Priority Bicycle is basically maintenance-free. And with the gearing mechanism enclosed in a sturdy hub, your bike’s gearing system isn’t exposed to easy damage like with a derailleur.

woom 5

Best Overall

• MSRP: $649
• SEAT HEIGHT: 26.4″ – 32.3″
• WEIGHT: 20.3 lbs.
• COLORS: Mint green, navy blue, red
• GEARS: 8-speed with grip shifter
• FULL REVIEW: woom 5 Review

The lightest 24 inch girls bike on our list, the woom 5 is a consistent favorite with our bike testers. A light bike is significantly easier to maneuver, and requires less effort for the payoff.

With 7 gears and versatile, all-terrain tires, the woom 5 can handle neighborhoods just as well as it can basic dirt trails. If you have a budding bike enthusiast on your hands, the woom 5 will allow her to explore any terrain she chooses.

Accessorize with Girls Cycling Clothes

While wearing designated riding clothes certainly isn’t necessary to have fun on a bike, it definitely can be more fun to have special riding outfits. Check out the Littles collection from SHREDLY for 10% off high-quality and adorable girls’ riding clothes and accessories.

🌸 🌼 Fun *Bling* Bike Accessories 🌼🌸

A lot of bikes marketed towards girls have adorable combinations of streamers, baskets, and bells. While these accessories are cute, they aren’t worth buying a bike for. Most heavily “decorated” bikes are very poorly made and will likely cause an equally poor riding experience for your child.

Instead of buying a bike simply for the way it looks, why not buy an amazing bike and accessorize it? Better yet, if you happen to already have a bike, but it’s not quite what your daughter had in mind, blinging it out can help give it a new life!

That’s exactly what we did with one of our green 16″ bikes that was on its way to a young girl in need of a bike. Her mom said she wanted a pretty bike and green wasn’t exactly her favorite color. With a few accessories onboard, the “boring green” bike became a green beauty! We’ve got plenty of ideas for accessorizing any kids bike, girls bike, and even balance bikes.

If you’re specifically looking for baskets, check out our list of 11 Best Kids Bike baskets.

“BORING GREEN” BIKE BEFORE:

“FUN BIKE” AFTER:

Here’s what we added to the bike:

HANDLEBAR STREAMERS: Pinwheel Streamers by DRBIKE, $10 – These streamers attached by inserting a long plastic plug through the end cap of the bike’s grips. If your bike’s grip ends are solid, the DrBike streamers won’t work, but these Windmill Streamers will!

PINWHEEL: Spinning Flower Pinwheel by Ride Along Dolly, $8

WHEEL SPOKE BEADS: Bike Wheel Flower Spokies by Ride Along Dolly, $8 and Wheel Spoke Luminous Beads by Kloud City, $6

BASKET: Emoji Basket by Biria, $17.50

FLOWER BELL (not shown in picture): Flower Bell, $10. For other great options for kids bikes bells, check our the list of our 9 favorites!